Mmm…

Since we’ve been back in Utah and I have a lot of time on my hands (for the next month or two, at least until the baby comes.) I’ve been cooking like crazy. I have come to enjoy it – but only when Tyler comments about how delicious it is. If last night’s recipe was a bust, I need a little motivation to get started again.

This past week we tried Paula Deen’s Hasbrown Cassrole. WAY too much food for the two of us. The entire 9×13 pan was filled and bubbling over the top with eggs, sausage, hashbrowns, and cheese. I made the mistake of putting maple-flavored sausage in there (it’s usually the only kind I will touch – our family didn’t grow up with lots of sausage so I’m not a huge fan.) and it was much too sweet. Follow her recipe and use some sort of spicy sausage. Needless to say, the leftovers make fantastic breakfast burritos! 

The (second) favorite meal made this week was Pesto Pizza, although it hasn’t made promising microwave leftovers just yet. I may have to pop out the toaster oven today to get it crispy again. With (mostly) my parent’s help,  Tyler and I have saved up several Christmases and several birthdays to get a bosch. It’s wonderful. I love it. I’m so glad I didn’t get a Kitchenaid. :) Anyway, I whipped up a quick batch of 100% whole-wheat pizza dough in the bosch, and it was surprisingly very light and airy. I formed a crust (although next time I will make our crust a tinch thinner), spread pesto over the top, and finished off with thinly sliced tomatoes and freshly grated mozzarella cheese. Mmm, it was delicious, thick and bubbly. Highly recommended. I also recommend to anyone to “invest” $4 and get a basil plant, even if it is the end of summer. We have been lucky this summer to see it flourish, and each week we can make a huge batch of pesto with all of its leaves!